Engine component part and method for producing the same

Abstract

An engine component is composed of an aluminum alloy containing silicon, and includes a plurality of primary-crystal silicon grains located on a slide surface. The plurality of primary-crystal silicon grains have an average crystal grain size of no less than about 12 μm and no more than about 50 μm.

1. An engine component composed of an aluminum alloy containing silicon, comprising:
 a plurality of silicon crystal grains located on a slide surface; wherein 
 the engine component is a cast article; 
 the plurality of silicon crystal grains have a grain size distribution having at least two peaks; and 
 the at least two peaks include a first peak existing in a crystal grain size range of no less than about 1 μm and no more than about 7.5 μm and a second peak existing in a crystal grain size range of no less than about 12 μm and no more than about 50 μm; wherein 
 the aluminum alloy contains no less than about 18 wt % silicon and no more than about 22 wt % of silicon. 
 
   
   
     2. The engine component of  claim 1 , wherein, in any arbitrary rectangular region of the slide surface having an approximate area of 800 μm×1000 μm, the number of circular regions having a diameter of about 50 μm and not containing any silicon crystal grains of a crystal grain size of about 0.1 μm or more is equal to or less than five. 
   
   
     3. The engine component of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy contains: no less than about 73.4 wt % and no more than about 79.6 wt % of aluminum; and no less than about 2.0 wt % and no more than about 3.0 wt % of copper. 
   
   
     4. The engine component of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy contains no less than about 50 wtppm and no more than about 200 wtppm of phosphorus and no more than about 0.01 wt % of calcium. 
   
   
     5. The engine component of  claim 1 , wherein the slide surface has a Rockwell hardness (HRB) of no less than about 60 and no more than about 80. 
   
   
     6. An engine comprising the engine component of  claim 1 . 
   
   
     7. An automotive vehicle comprising the engine of  claim 6 . 
   
   
     8. A cylinder block composed of an aluminum alloy containing: no less than about 73.4 wt % and no more than about 79.6 wt % of aluminum; no less than about 18 wt % and no more than about 22 wt % of silicon; and no less than about 2.0 wt % and no more than about 3.0 wt % of copper, the cylinder block comprising:
 a plurality of primary-crystal silicon grains located on a slide surface arranged to come in contact with a piston, and a plurality of eutectic silicon grains disposed between the plurality of primary-crystal silicon grains; wherein 
 the cylinder block is a cast article; and 
 the plurality of primary-crystal silicon grains have an average crystal grain size of no less than about 12 μm and no more than about 50 μm, and the plurality of eutectic silicon grains have an average crystal grain size of no more than about 7.5 μm; 
 the aluminum alloy contains: no less than about 50 wtppm and no more than 200 wtppm of phosphorus; and no more than about 0.01 wt % of calcium; and 
 the slide surface has a Rockwell hardness (HRB) of no less than about 60 and no more than about 80. 
 
   
   
     9. An engine comprising the cylinder block of  claim 8 , and a piston having a slide surface whose surface hardness is higher than that of the slide surface of the cylinder block. 
   
   
     10. An automotive vehicle comprising the engine of  claim 9 .